Turkey and Egypt
Both Egypt and Turkey have made formal declarations of war on Germany and Japan, and thus, by becoming full belligerents before March 1st, qualify to participate as members of the United Nations in the San Francisco Conference. It was immediately after making his statement of the Egyptian Government's decision that the Prime Minister, Ahmed Maher Pasha, a statesman who commanded the respect of both his countrymen and the Allies, was assassinated as he was leaving the Chamber. It fell to his successor, Mahmud Nokrashy Pasha, to ask the Chamber of endorse the policy of belli- gerency, which was accepted by an overwhelming majority. The declaration, in the case of Egypt, involves no drastic alteration. Our forces have been in the position of defending Egypt on her own soil at a time when Axis forces were a very serious menace, and at all stages of the war we have had valuable co-operation from the Egyptian Government. In Turkey it was otherwise. She was an ally, and also a neutral, whose announcement of her firm intention to defend her neutrality at one time served us as well as herself in good stead, though her persistence in maintaining trade relations with Germany after the danger had passed, and her unwillingness to co-operate with us more actively, caused some strain in Turkish- British relations a year ago. That has passed, and a Turkish economic mission has come to England to discuss the trade position. Turkey played an important moderating part among the Balkan nations in the years before the war, and it is most desirable tha oshe should be present at the San Francisco discussions. Her strategic position is immensely important and her economic possibilities very considerable.
